Mental Health First Aid

A number of employers are embracing the fact that mental health issues and work-related illnesses are impacting their businesses. Putting supportive control measures is becoming as important to manage mental health as it is physical health. Having Mental Health First Aid can go a long way in helping manage this growing issue.

What Is Mental Health First Aid?

Mental health first aid is:

• Spotting the signs and symptoms of common mental health issues
• Providing non-judgemental support and reassurance
• Guiding a person to seek professional support.

What Action Should You or Your Workplace Take?

Organisations should consider:

• Ensuring that their health and safety risk assessments consider not just physical health, but also mental health
• Managing and mitigating the risks of harm in the workplace and having ways to support people with mental health issues
• Treating mental health in a similar way to physical health. For example, by having as many first aiders for mental health as for physical health.

Your Workplace May Want To:

• Have qualified Mental Health First Aiders. This includes adequate mental health first aid cover for periods of absence or multiple workplace sites.
• Encourage all employees to maintain a healthy workplace through mental health awareness training or resources
• Ensure that policies and practices recognise the needs of those with mental health conditions.
• Have a clear and well-communicated mental health policy.

How many Mental Health First Aiders do I need?

It is recommended that employers should try to have as many first aiders for mental health as first aiders for physical health.

What Is the Impact of Poor Mental Health in the Workplace?

Approximately 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience mental illness each year. In 2016, 15.8 million UK work days were lost due to mental illness.

The largest causes of sickness absence in our country’s workforce are depression, stress, and anxiety which contributed to 51% of work-related illnesses. This equates to:

• £10.6 billion lost to sickness absence
• £21.2 billion in reduced productivity
• £3.1 billion in substituting employees members who vacate their roles due to mental illness

Why Should an Organisation Invest in Mental Health Training?

• Raise awareness and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health
• Teach practical skills that can be used every day in the workplace
• Cut the cost of mental ill health in the workplace
• A healthy workplace is one where employees and managers work together to protect and promote their health, safety and wellbeing for the sustainability of the business.

To find out more information or to discuss mental health first aid in the workplace further, get in contact with our team of experts.

T: 0330 107 1037

E: contact@onehrsoftware.com